Okunnu Alleges Olasco Films Never Paid Him For Hit Movie Aare

OpenLife Nigeria reports that veteran Nollywood comic actor Wale Akorede Okunnu, widely known as Okunnu, has publicly accused Olasco Films of refusing to pay him for a film project he claims he single-handedly created.

The actor made the allegation during a recent interview with media personality Olugbenga Oropo Valentine on the Saworo show. A clip of the conversation has since gone viral, drawing attention to what Okunnu describes as years of financial neglect.

Okunnu revealed that the disagreement stretches back several years and remains unresolved, despite his repeated attempts to address the matter.

He said the film performed well commercially, yet he never received any form of payment from the company.

He expressed the depth of his disappointment, emphasizing that the earnings were the product of his own hard work and personal investment.

“I once did a movie for Olasco and he didn’t give me anything. Not even ₦5 for pure water till this moment. I don’t know if I will later be paid on judgement day. I haven’t forgiven Olasco,” he said.

Okunnu also identified the individual running the marketing company as Akeem Balogun, reiterating that the issue continues to trouble him.

“Mr Akeem Balogun Olasco, I don’t know about tomorrow, but as at the moment, I haven’t
forgiven Olasco,” he added.

In the interview, he gave more details about the project, a film titled Aare, which he said was released in two parts simultaneously.

According to Okunnu, he handled every aspect of the film’s creation from writing and directing to playing the lead role. Yet despite the project’s success, he claims he received no payment.

“I wrote a movie, Aare. I directed it and played the lead role. Both part one and part two were released at the same time. I didn’t see a dime from it. I will be lying if I say Olasco gave me anything from the money made from my sweat,” he stated.

The actor’s revelations have reignited discussions about longstanding challenges in Nollywood, including unclear contracts, revenue sharing disputes, and the treatment of creatives by marketers.

Observers note that such conflicts were particularly common in the era dominated by physical film distribution.

As of now, neither Olasco Films nor Akeem Balogun has publicly responded to this particular Okunnu’s claims.

Meanwhile, the veteran actor seems determined to document his experience and highlight what he perceives as a serious injustice.